Live from New York!

The short story: We camped out all of Friday night for standby tickets to see Taylor Swift host and perform on SNL. And we didn't get in.

The real story: We camped out all of Friday night for standby tickets to see Taylor Swift host and perform on SNL. And we didn't get in, but the entire experience ranks up there with some of my favorite New York adventures. 

Jamie staked out a spot in line around 6 p.m. Friday, and was later joined by LJ, then Hannah. I met up with the ladies just before midnight and it was already a chilly 38 degrees. We were armed with chairs, layers upon layers, our puffiest puffer coats, and blankets galore. Not to mention the Papa John's we had delivered to 30 Rock, plenty of treats, and oodles of optimism. 

As the hours wore on, the temperature went down, and the silliness ensued. By the time the wind chill had the thermometer at 31 degrees, Jamie was reading to us from Harry Potter, voices for each character and all (her "Ron" is ridiculously impressive, I must say!). Hannah burrowed down in her pile of plaid blankets, displaying her excellent survival skills. LJ documented my need to attempt to lay horizontally and I stared in disbelief at her impersonation of a snowman in need of a hug... Before we knew it, the sun had risen. It was almost 7 a.m. and time for us to collect our standby tickets - we'd survived!

After getting home and spending some quality time with my big comfy bed (I may or may not have slept until 2:30 in the afternoon. No judging.), it was time to head back to 30 Rock for our shot at the dress rehearsal. With tickets #42 - #45 in hand, we were nervous but convinced that the Country Music Fates were on our side. Heck, we'd been Tweeting to Taylor all night and day - maybe she would come out with special tickets for @BethanyNYC, @LaurenJ27 & friends! Right, not likely, but like I said: We had oodles of optimism.

So when they only had room for tickets #1 - #27, to say our bubbles were burst would be an understatement. But it didn't take us long to realize that the night was young and full of potential. With that, we set off for Jamie and Hannah's apartment on the UWS for a New Yorky movie night followed by watching our girl Taylor live. After a quick stop at the grocery store and wine shop for "supplies," we were happily watching Sex and the City, ooo-ing and aww-ing over the outfits and love stories we'd all memorized long before.

Taylor's fab performance on SNL was the icing on the cake (though Amy Poehler's surprise appearance for the Really!?! segment with Seth Meyers was decidedly more like salt in our wounds...). Her monologue and spoof on Twilight had me in exceptionally long fits of giggles... Goodness, I love her.

So that's the real story: A cold slumber party outside of 30 Rock and a weekend of memories with some of the best friends a girl could ask for. As LJ so eloquently put it Saturday evening as we were seeking out Puppy Chow ingredients, "This will no longer be the night we didn't see Taylor Swift on SNL. It will be the night we drank lots of wine and had a fabulous time with each other."

LOVE from New York, if you will.

12:30 a.m: Prior to the temperature dipping below freezing... i.e. sanity still intact.

2 a.m.-ish: Story time. It was about now that Jamie realized the true brilliance of the Snuggie: "I need a blanket... but one with arms!"

3 a.m., cold and silly: "LJ, I just kind of need to be horizontal for a moment."

"B... Will you hug me? I think it will make me warm..."

4 a.m., colder and sillier: "B! You're an elephant!!"

7 p.m. Saturday night: Back at 30 Rock, fingers crossed...

10 p.m. Saturday - 2 a.m. Sunday: A happy happy ending, indeed!